RECORDS FALL AT DAY TWO OF NEW BALANCE INDOOR NATIONALS
By Chris Lotsbom, used with permission.
NEW YORK, NY (10-Mar) -- Continuing the tradition that is Day Two of New Balance Indoor Nationals, one National and many more Meet Records were broken here in New York City.
Chariho TC of Rhode Island surprised everyone in the 4 x Mile Relay, running 17:20.02 to barely dip under the three-year-old National Record of 17:21.58, previously held by West Windsor-Plainsboro. Coming into the race, many had focused their attention on reigning National Champion Brothers TC (Christian Brothers Academy, NJ), as well as Shaker TC of New York. But Chariho, the admitted underdog, knew they had a chance to take the Championship, and possibly the National Record.
"We knew we had the talent all along," said Mike Marsella, a senior and the team's anchor. "We knew adding up our [personal best] splits, we had a chance to not only win the race, but set a National Record. It was definitely on our radar, since the beginning of the season."
Through the first two legs, Chariho and Shaker were stride for stride, two abreast as they circled The Armory's blue oval. Not until 800m remaining in the third leg did Shaker begin to pull away, with John Vallecorsa separating from the chasing Jake Kilcoyne.
Exchanging the baton to Christian Delago, Shaker had a ten second lead. But, Chariho TC still had their sub-4:10 miler to come -- Marsella.
Marsella, who will attend the University of Virginia next fall, began to charge, gaining with each completed lap. Eventually he would draw even and pass with 800m to go.
"When I got the stick, I had one thing in mind -- to catch the guy in front of me," he said. "All I wanted to do was run him down to the best of my ability, and with four to go, I was on his back shoulder. I knew I was stronger and I knew I had to go after the record."
Marsella broke the tape first with a second and a half to spare, clocking 17:20.20. Shaker crossed right behind in 17:21.56, also under the previous national mark, while BC Cubed was third in 17:30.44.
"I knew there was nothing to lose. You don't come here to come in second, you come here to win," Marsella said. "What a way to end my senior year indoors. To close it out in a National Record in a National Championship is crazy." Joining Marsella and Kilcoyne on the winning team were Bryce Kelley and Dan Kilcoyne.
Meet Records were set in abundance throughout the twelve hours of competition.
Just prior to Chariho's National Record, the girls of Adrenaline TC (Tatnall School, DE) just missed setting a National Record, running 20:00.97. Julie Williams (5:03), Rebecca Salter (5:03), Reagan Anderson (5:00), and Haley Pierce (4:54) combined to run the second fastest High School 4 x Mile ever, just a tad behind Saratoga's 19:59.24 of 2005.
Edward Cheserek and St. Benedict's Prep earned their second national title of the meet, winning the Boy's Sprint Medley Relay in a new Meet Record of 3:25.88. Cheserek was able to hold off reigning New Balance Nationals Indoor 800m Champion Zavon Watkins of Liverpool down the stretch.
"It was fun to really go fast at the end, and I wanted to win another National Championship," said Cheserek. When asked if he is still planning to run the 2 mile and mile on Sunday, he responded with an excited "Of course!"
Sprint Athletics of Georgia ran a Meet Record of 1:36.79 in the prelims of the 4x200m. The finals of the 4x200m will be run at noon tomorrow, when Felecia Brown, Tiffany Camper, Alexis Smith, and Jada Martin will try to lower their mark. Also setting a Meet Record was Trinity Wilson in the 60m hurdle Prelims, when she ran 8.26 seconds.
Though she did not set a record, Kendell Williams won her second National Championship in two days, successfully defending her title in the Girl's Pentathlon. Last night, the native of Georgia won the high jump, and tomorrow she will go for the 60m Hurdles title.
If it wasn't for a bump with lapped traffic, Stotan Racing (Fayetteville-Manlius, NY) may have their own National Record in the 4x800m. The quartet of Katie Sischo, Jillian Fanning, Heather Martin, and Katie Brislin ran 8:58.48, just ahead of La Salle Academy (RI). The Boy's 4x800m was won by Boys and Girls in the second fastest time ever, 7:41.10.
Tomorrow, the final day of competition, finals in twelve different disciplines will be contested.
